Israel announced on Sunday a blockbuster decision to double the size of its F-35 fleet from 50 to 100 and its new F-15IA fleet from 25 to 50.
The decision reflects a radical post-October 7 world: Israel will increase defense spending over the next 10 years by NIS 350 billion, in addition to annual defense spending that has risen from under NIS 100 billion to nearly NIS 150 billion.
If before October 7 and even mid-war there was a hot debate whether to spend Israel's limited military funds on increasing its F-35 fleet or new F-15IA fleet, after two Iran wars over the last year in which the IDF heavily using both existing F-35s and older F-15s, which need to be replaced with the new F-15IAs, the government decided to massively increase the budget in order to purchase both.
Due to the extreme expense of each of these aircraft, such a scenario had not even been imagined in the recent past.
A statement by the Defense Ministry on Sunday said that the Ministerial Committee on Procurement plans to simultaneously acquire two new fighter squadrons: a fourth F-35 squadron from Lockheed Martin and a second F-15IA squadron from Boeing.
The government decided to massively increase the budget in order to purchase both
The deals, valued at tens of billions of NIS, include full fleet integration into the Israeli Air Force, comprehensive sustainment, spare parts, and logistics support.
Until now, Israel has had around 50 F-35s, with several new F-35s being delivered over the last year.
This is a major step in executing the IDF’s decade-long force buildup plan, approved by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu under the future focused NIS 350 billion, versus the year-to-year IDF concerns budgets..
Defense Minister Israel Katz and Director-General Maj. Gen. (Res.) Amir Baram brought the procurement before the Committee as part of the ministry’s "broader strategy to strengthen readiness ahead of a demanding decade for Israeli security. The new squadrons will serve as a cornerstone of the IDF’s long-term force development, addressing evolving regional threats and preserving Israel’s strategic air superiority."
Following the Committee’s approval, Baram directed the ministry's Mission to the US to move forward with finalizing the agreements with the American government and military counterparts in the coming period.
Katz stated, "Operation Roaring Lion once again demonstrated the Israeli Air Force’s power and its decisive role in protecting Israel. The lessons of that campaign require us to keep pressing forward on force buildup, to ensure air superiority for decades to come.
The F-35 and F-15IA acquisitions are central to the ‘Shield of Israel’ plan, which is designed to give the IDF a lasting qualitative edge. As part of this plan, the Israeli Air Force will be expected to lead a major technological leap - integrating autonomous flight capabilities, next-generation defense systems, and establishing Israeli military dominance, both defensive and offensive, in space."
Baram said, “The approval of this procurement is the first major step in executing the 350-billion-NIS force buildup plan for an intense security decade ahead. Alongside immediate wartime procurement needs, we have a responsibility to act now to secure the IDF’s military edge ten years from now and beyond...The complementary capabilities of these two squadrons will give the Israeli Air Force the flexibility to handle a broad range of combat scenarios."
In mid-January, the IDF announced that three F-35i aircraft had landed at Nevatim Air Force Base, purchased from US defense giant Lockheed Martin, bringing Israel's total to 48 of 50, all of which have already been purchased.
These three aircraft were part of a long-standing deal spread over several years to expand Israel's fleet from 25 to 50 F-35s.
These aircraft were originally due in late 2025 but were delayed; the last two are still due for delivery later in 2026.
But that is not the end of F-35 deliveries.
In 2023, Israel, the US government, and Lockheed Martin signed a deal for 25 additional F-35s, eventually raising the number of aircraft to 75, which will mean a third squadron. Additional steps in that process took place in mid-2024.
Previously, the Jerusalem Post was told that the first third squadron F-35 deliveries would start in 2027
Israel signed on to the F-35 program in 2010, and its F-35 program became operational in 2017.
By early 2025, the F-35 had already undertaken over 15,000 flight hours on all fronts of the war, which Israel was coping with, from Iran to Yemen to Syria to Lebanon to Gaza.
More specifically, the F-35 was Israel's key first component in eliminating Iran's best radars and air defenses in four rounds of attacks, including in the June 2025 and the 2026 Israel-Iran wars.
In addition, over the course of the war, the IDF said it modified its F-35 aircraft to fire JDAM munitions from their wings, rather than dropping them from the aircraft's belly as originally designed.
Even before the war, the F-35 was considered crucial in the MABAM “war between wars” against Iranian proxies in Syria.
It has stealth technology, which makes it better able to strike targets throughout the Middle East with impunity, and its surveillance and intelligence capabilities far exceed those of Israel’s older F-16 and F-15 aircraft.
For example, it is said to be easily capable of outwitting Iran’s S-300 anti-aircraft missile defense system, and possibly even the S-400 system, whereas other Israeli aircraft would have more trouble.
Lockheed Martin Israel's former CEO Joshua (Shiki) Shani has previously said, “We are proud to support the Israel Defense Forces in providing the F-35, and honored that the Israeli government has announced its intent to purchase additional F-35s.
“The Israel Air Force has proven its capabilities in critical operations with the 116 and 140 Squadrons, and we are looking forward to building on this strong performance. With a combination of stealth, sensor fusion, and electronic warfare, the fifth-generation F-35 will ensure the Israel Air Force stays ahead of current and evolving threats,” he said.
At the same time, Israel has made parallel advances and investments in the air force’s future.
Months ago, after years of delay, the Defense Ministry began moving forward with the purchase of 25 F-15IA Boeing fighters from the US to help replace its aging F-15 aircraft.
This latest announcement means that Israel will eventually have 50 F-15IA aircraft.
"Eventually" could mean as late as the early or mid 2030s.
According to public information, Israel has around 70 aging F-15s and over 100 F-16s.
While it is necessary to replace the F-15s sooner, given that many of them date back to the 1970s, the ministry announced in January that it would upgrade its F-16 fleet with an NIS 80 million upgrade to more advanced self-protection systems, rather than replacing them.
Purchased in the early 2000s, the F-16s were fourth-generation aircraft intended as an upgrade for Israel over the F-15s, which were purchased decades earlier.
The F-35s are Israel's fifth-generation aircraft.
Collectively, the plan appears to be to eventually have 100 F-35s, over 100 enhanced F-16s, and at least 50 newer F-15UAs, with possibly some older F-15s continuing, if they are considered able.
Separately, in November 2022, Israel finalized an agreement to purchase four Boeing KC-46A midair-refueling aircraft.
Each of those new aircraft elements is also some years from being delivered to Israel, but would also eventually boost Jerusalem’s capability for attacking Tehran and other adversaries.